Data says Panola County among leaders in obesity rates
Published 9:07 am Thursday, June 11, 2020
It’s often reported that the United States has a high prevalence of obesity, and data has has continuously shown Mississippi to have incredibly high numbers of overweight and obese people.
According to research published in Preventing Chronic Disease, 1.5 million adults were considered obese or overweight in 2015, leading to increased rated of cardiovascular problems and diabetes. Additionally, the prevalence of obesity increased annually by 3.5 percent between 2001 and 2010.
Panola County is among the statistical leaders in these figures. The study said in Mississippi, the average individual needs to lose 65.1 pounds to bring their weight and Body Mass Index to acceptable levels.
In Panola, the stats suggest people, on average, need to lose 82.3 pounds.
The average weight of men and women in the county are 250 and 205 pounds, respectively.
Mississippi also has incredibly high rates of childhood obesity. The State of Childhood Obesity Organization found that the state has an obesity rate of 25.4 percent for children aged 10-17.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center reported that Mississippi has the highest rate of childhood obesity in the county and that half of all children were overweight or obese.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a statistical measurement that divides body weight by height to determine the general health of an individual. In Panola, the average BMI for men is 35.8, while the average BMI for women is 35.2.
The statistics for Panola Country was gathered through voluntary and anonymous surveys on Dietspotlight. These individuals went to the site seeking information on weight loss tips, products, and programs.
After gathering these statistics, they were assessed by the company’s Review Team for accuracy. This Review Team at Dietspotlight consists of the country’s top health professionals, nutritionists, and doctors.
References:
https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/states/ms/
